Summer reading

As I just typed the title of this post, I suddenly pictured summer reading programs from my childhood. Remember the fun of keeping track of everything you read, then getting to go to the library to pick out some silly little prize and get a certificate? Those were good times!

I'm hoping we can choose books for June and July soon. What are people interested in reading? More realistic stuff? Fantasy? Vampire books? Historical fiction? A classic? Total fluff? A grown up book that reads like YA? A graphic novel? Nonfiction? Is there anything new coming out that people are anticipating? Put your thinking caps on!

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

SPOILERS AHEAD.

Wow!  This was a good book, and it was totally not what I was expecting!  I was expecting way more of a boyfriend-drama book, not a really cool commentary on sexism, classism, power, identity, etc.  I'm actually thinking of rereading it, but just wanted to get some thoughts out there for now.

Am I the only person who wishes Lockhart had written a meeting-- or at least a sighting-- between Frankie and Alpha in the spring after she got in trouble and before he graduated?  Something beyond the email he wrote to her that she didn't answer?  Some moment of tension or recognition between them?  Besides Frankie herself, I thought Alpha was the most fascinating character in the book, and I have to say, the tension between them was incredible, even though they were hardly ever on-screen together.  Tension of every kind, including sexual.  Alpha was the only person who (finally) recognized her for what she was-- maybe the only person in the world who ever truly saw her, and saw that he'd mislabeled her.  And even though he was despicable in so many ways-- a cocky asshole, disrespectful to women, self-destructive, dishonest, aware that he was trapped in an empty social status structure but still fighting hard to stay at the top of that structure, I found him irresistible in the same way I found Frankie irresistible.  Frankie and Alpha both SAW what was happening, they never deluded themselves.  And they saw each other's genius and each other's flaws. Is there going to be a sequel that takes place when Frankie starts her freshman year at Harvard and she and Alpha pit themselves against each other?  :o)

Okay, yes, I just crushed on Alpha, who is a total asshole, for an entire paragraph, under the guise of analyzing the book.  I admit my guilt.

Here's why I thought this was a great book: The characterizations-- what interesting and complex and well-drawn characters.  Also, the commentary on how our societies are constructed-- fascinating!  And I loved seeing a female protagonist who is insistent on being seen, being heard, being herself, not smushing herself down (even if she can't stop others from smushing her down).  I loved seeing a girl determined to grab power and figure out what power even is, what it means.

In some ways, I would like to be more like Frankie.  Less worried about being perceived as "nice"-- more willing to assume power.

I'm writing this at the end of long day of revising, so my brain is spinning a little-- hope I've made sense.  I'd love to hear what other people thought!

SEX!

Do I have your attention?

:o)

So, I'm asking for help.  (No, not sex help.  Sigh... this is already starting out calamitously....)  I am looking for passages in books, or even books in their entirety, in which a relationship is presented to the reader such that the reader can't tell for sure whether the relationship is sexual. You know the passages I mean-- the ones where you read it and you get this feeling something might be going on between the characters, you're pretty sure there's some hanky panky going on, but you can't be positive?  Because the author has does a really good job laying seeds but keeping it subtle.

I am struggling with writing a similar scene, and am desperate to see how other writers have done this...

Anyone have any suggestions of things for me to read?

Thanks in advance!  :)

May book

We kicked around a few ideas for the May book, but didn't choose one yet. As May is nearly half over with, I thought I'd better jump in and pick one. Let's go with The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. I know some of us have already read it, and it's been out long enough to hopefully be available in many libraries, so it's probably our best choice for a quick read.

That said, any ideas for June?

Of interest

Seen on The Longstockings' site: Newsweek article on the boom of YA books. I have yet to read it, but maybe it will give us something to discuss!

A Curse Dark as Gold

I wanted to get the ball rolling on a discussion about our April book, since, you know, April is now over with. Wednesday afternoon I was curled up with the book, reading the last 75 pages or so while Callum napped. Matthew came in the room to tell me something and I said (or, rather, I'm pretty sure I snapped), "Please don't talk to me now." I was so engrossed in Bunce's book that the idea of anything pulling me out of the setting and back to reality was unacceptable. I thorougly enjoyed this book. Bunce's setting and characters drew me in and I felt like I was right there in their world. Sure, the middle seemed to drag on forever, and Charlotte's secrets and stubborness sometimes drove me nuts, but that didn't matter much. Usually I find myself sort of frustrated when there are a whole bunch of characters--like I often can't keep them separate, or find them so flat that they seem unnecessary--but Biddy Tom, Uncle Wheeler, Rosie, Randall, Harte, and the rest were so well-drawn and all contributed so much to the tale. This is another one of those titles that I only can gush about and don't really have anything specific to say beyond "it was great!" I think we're just good, as a book club, at picking really interesting, different titles, because I certainly don't generally love every single book I pick up. On a final note, I just want to say I love the cover. Even though I should know better, I definitely judge a book by its cover, all the time. Though this book was on my to-read list already, choosing it for the book club ensured I read it, whereas without the incentive to read it, I may never have gotten to it. I'm interested to know what others thought, especially people who tend to read more fairy tale retellings than I do.

New Library Cards and May/June Suggestions

I was just dropping by to discuss May/June suggestions. I just renewed my Minuteman Library network card* and it's like a whole new world of book lending! Like, I requested A Curse Dark As Gold from the BPL in... oh... early March? Well- *mid* March. And it *still* hasn't been full processed- although at least it has been purchased, it seems. BUT I just ordered it in Minuteman, and I will probably have it before the week is out. Such is the power of well-funded Suburban libraries.

This, of course, makes it possible for me to borrow much more recently published books at a reasonable speed. Hence, I have a couple new, delicious looking books I can get my hands on that I would love (maybe) to read with the group- if you all are interested. They are girlie as all get out- but then, that seems appropriate for May and June somehow, doesn't it?

First, although I read it in galley form a couple of months ago, I would lovelovelove to re-read Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson, which was just recently officially released in bookstores. It's very fun and satisfying and has more weight and substance to it than most YA chick-litty books do- like, if Meg Cabot's oeuvre could be described as marshmallows, then Suite Scarlett would be like... a really good slice of New York Cheesecake. They're both bad for you, and you couldn't eat either all the time, but the cheesecake definitely has Character and when you finish it you feel like you cherished every bite and eaten something real, while with marshmallows you eat a whole bag without noticing and then feel ill afterwards. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that Scarlett is the first in a series- she and her family and their ramshackle Art Deco hotel are right up my alley. In this particular book, Scarlett's family's hotel is faltering until a wealthy and eccentric widow descends upon the hotel, books their best suite for the whole summer, hires Scarlett as her personal secretary and begins meddling in all their lives, 1/2 Auntie Mame, 1/2 Margot Channing. It's deliriously good, and a blindingly quick read. I think it might be a better pick for June than May, because it only just came out, and I don't know how many of you would be able to get it through the library.

In a similar vein, but arguably with even more depth**, I'd love to read any of the following: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (which just came out, and I haven't read), Dramarama (which has been out for awhile but I haven't read) or The Boyfriend List (which I just read and adored) by E. Lockhart. The Boyfriend List and its sequel The Boy Book were both fun, smart reads that, nicely, don't tie things up too neatly or easily. They were, together, a messy and psychologically relatable portrait of a smart but emotionally confused 15 year old girl dealing with the fall out of her first serious relationship ending while the rest of her world comes apart around her ears-- on a normal 15 year old scale. By which I mean, she loses all her best friends and starts being the object of nasty rumors at school, not her mom dies and she develops a coke addiction and also is raped. These are white-upper-middle-class-girls-from-good-families "problems", not Problem Novel problems- which I think is refreshing, actually. It's nice to find a book that deals with issues I myself have dealt with, and doesn't either over-simplify them or make them unduly depressing.

Anyways, there are a couple suggestions- posted on the main page because;

a) I am hopelessly verbose
b) I wanted to give Amanda some main page company.


*which had been dormant so long they'd erased my fines! Yay!!
** but don't worry, I won't try for another tied-in desert simile here.

planning

any ideas for a may book to read? or a june book, for that matter?

has anyone read a curse dark as gold yet? i'm about 3/4 of the way through it, so hopefully i'll be able to post something soon.

National Day of Silence

Today is The National Day of Silence. In its 12th year now, this day is meant to bring attention to the name-calling, bullying, and harassment of LGBT(etc) high school students. This year's day is in honor of the memory of Lawrence King, the CA 15-year-old killed by a classmate who found out Lawrence had a crush on him.

Next up in my library pile are two books about gay characters, both by Alex Sanchez. What books with LGBT characters do you like? Are there any that you feel are overlooked? Since I mostly stick to realistic stuff, what about in fantasy--are there LGBT characters there? Any good blogs you read on LGBT books/issues? For blogs, I like I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the hell do I read? I also like Worth the Trip. Books I love include anything by David Levithan, Julie Anne Peters, and Ellen Wittlinger. There are so many great books out now with LGBT characters, which I think is fantastic and so important. Your turn now.

Movies

I'm anxiously awaiting the release of the film version of Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist. The novel, written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, was fantastic (I think it was one that, after having moved from MA to MN, I begged Terri, the owner of The Children's Book Shop, to send me the galley because I just could not possibly wait). This got me thinking: what other books have made good movies (knowing that, of course, the book is generally better)? Or what YA books would you like to see made into a movie (and what stars would play your favorite characters)?

funny YA books

i've decided i need to read something funny soon (funny ha-ha, not funny strange). it takes a lot for me to laugh out loud when i'm reading a book. some adult authors who routinely deliver the funny, to me, are laurie notaro and david sedaris. but when it comes to YA books that really make me laugh, not much comes to mind. i can always rely on sue townsend, author of the adrian mole series for YAs and some adult books, to give me a good laugh (often in that cringing way). the first few louise rennison books usually guaranteed a good laugh (i still enjoy them, but they're getting ooooold). i guess i'm thinking about this because i just read elizabeth scott's perfect you. it was a fantastic read. kate, the main character, is acerbic and smart, and the dialogue is excellent. i laughed a few times while reading it, but wanted it to be more funny, less serious at times. so, can you think of anything you've read that was truly funny to you? i need a break from the seriousness!

another plug

as we all know, our dear fellow misfit, kristin, has a novel coming out soon. she also know has a new blog, This is My Secret. pop on over and check it out!

anyone else with new websites to promote?:)

Plug

Hi, all.

Forgive the obtuse nature of this entry, but I thought this would be THE place to promote the new store blog, www.curiousgeorgestore.blogspot.com .
There have only been a few posts, so far, and since we've yet to build an established/repeat audience, the entries sans comments seem a little more "newsletter"y than immediate, as a blog should be.
If you've read, want to read or refuse to read any of the books mentioned, please consider being one of the first to comment.

Thanks!

recommendations

it's not often i get to read a whole book in one sitting these days, but i just finished sara zarr's sweethearts. once i started it, i couldn't possibly set it aside to do anything else. i think it's one that will stay with me for a while.

waiting for me at the library, i have guyaholic by carolyn mackler and the disreputable history of frankie landau-banks by e. lockhart. i can't wait to read those!

do you have any great recommendations?

April's book

For those interested, the April pick is A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce.